Process of producing nitrogen compounds of aluminium and alkali or alkaline-earth metals.



UNTED DMITRY ALEXANDROWITCH PENIAKOFF, BRUSSELS BELGIUM.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING NITROGEN COMPOUNDS 0F ALUMINIUM AND ALKALI OR ALKALINE-EARTH METALS.

No Drawing.

titanium nitrid and cyanonitrid, aluminium.

nitrid, silicon nitrid, etc., generally produced by furnaces by submitting the oxide or their ores mixed with carbon to the direct action of pure nitrogen or of gases containing a large proportion of nitrogen.

My'invention relates principally to a process of production of nitrogen compounds of aluminium and alkali or alkaline-earth metals. By means of this process, not only can I produce ammonia, but I recover together also alumina and the alkali or alkaline-earth products.

This process is based upon the following discovery:

1. In the manufacture of raw aluminium nitrid, when the bauxite is replaced by an alkali or alkaline earth metal aluminate or by a mixture which is capable of yielding or generating the same under heat, the absorption of nitrogen becomes much more active and is elfected at considerably lower temperatures, and the aluminate is quickly converted into the nitrogen compounds of aluminium and alkali or alkaline-earth metal. It is especially noticeable that this reaction is effected sufficiently energetically at temperatures easily obtainable by direct heating by means of fuel Without employment of electric furnaces. However, at the higher temperatures obtainable in these furnaces; the transformation is effected more quickly.

2. When the nitrogen compounds thus produced are subjected to the action of boiling Water or steam, the nitrogen is given off as ammoniaand the aluminate is re-formed. This aluminatemay then be used again to produce nitrogen compounds, or treated as usual to obtain pure alumina and thealkali or alkaline-earth metal products. Moreover,

Specification of Letters Patent.

. manner: Aluminate is mixed very high temperatures in electric bined nitrogen as ingthe nitrogen-com Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,771.

1 it is noticeable, that under certain conditions of temperature, and especially when an alkali metal aluminate isused, an important proportion of alkali distils and escapes from the furnace and is condensedfurther as nitrogen compounds (cyanids, etc.) Of course these compounds must be collected in order to be treated either apart or mixed with the products discharged from the furnace in order to obtain ammonia or other nitrogen compounds.

The'process is carried out in the following with a quantity of coal corresponding to the whole combined oxygen 2'. 6. about 40 per cent. of coal containlng as little as possible of volatile com pounds. Preferably, this mixture will be made with the substances in powdered or granulated form, and then moistened in order to -get a firmly united agglomerate. The treatment with gas of too pulverulent matter Will thus be avoided. Moreover, this moistened and compact substance gives immediately: Whensubjected to the heat, a re sistant body very porous, and very permeable to the gas. The .mixturethus prepared issubjected to the action ofnitrogen in a furnace heated either by means of electricity or by combustion of coal or liquid or gaseous fuel. In these latter cases, furnaces comprising a series of chambers or annular furnaces may be used in which the mixture in the agglomerate porous state will be placed as checker work. It is possible too to use furnaces such as coke. ovens or continuous Working revolving furnaces heated by direct injection of pulverized coal or by atomizing liquid fuels such as taror their derivatives, raW naphtha or the residues of its distilla tion. The gaseous products of the combustionwould furnish eventually the nitrogen required for the operation. Of course any other heating means producing a high tem perature may be used for the same purpose and must be considered within the scope of the invention. The nitrogen compound thus obtained is then treated in the most conven ient manner in order to give off all the comammonia or its deriva- For instance, this may be obtained by treatound in 'autoclaves by Water'and steam un er'p'ressure.

, The solid product, piilvei'ulent or not, may also be treated inboilers or other vesselsby ico l'es of this patent may be obtained for a steam jet in order to give ofi ammonia and decompose the cyanids and other nitro-compounds which itihay contain.

Of course, in these'operations, the alumi-' presence of nit-rogen.- It will be understood,

therefore, that in the following-claims I use i the term aluminate in a sulficiently broad sense to include the use of amix'ture of substanceswhich yield the aluminate by the action of the heat.

I claim as my invention: 1. process for the manufacture of nitrogen compounds of aluminium and alkali or alkaline-earth metals, which consists in heating in a current of nitrogen a mixture of carbon and aluminate, substantially .as dey,

scribed.

2. 'A process for the manufactureof nitroagglomerates.

gen compounds, of aluminium and alkali or alkahne-earth. metals, whlch consists 1n heating in a current of nitrogen a mixture of aluminate and carbon in the form of porous agglomerates. Y

3. A process for the manufacture of nitrogen compounds of aluminium'and alkali or alkaline-earth metals, which consists in heating in a current of nitrogen a mixture of coaland aluminate, substantially as described.

4. A process for the manufacture of nitrogen compounds of aluminium and-alkali or alkaline-earth metals, which consists in heating in a current of nitrogen a mixture of aluminate and coal in the form of porous In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

niurai ALEXANDROWITCH PEN1AKOFF.

Witnesses:

-OHARLES DRURY: EUGENE LEeRrs:

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentsi "Washington, D. e. 

